Explosion-proof electrical connecting device



Dec. 14, 1954 E. CASTELLI EXPLOSION-PROOF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE Filed Jan- 12, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 1 I 1 1 I I 1 1 I I 1 I 1 Z 12 061292301 ECczsZeZZC Dec. 14, 1954 E. CASTELLI 2,697,212

EXPLOSION-PROOF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 12, 1953 a Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I 9 I I x 7 1 ix T 22 3 112 Z J2t0f 3 Sheets-$heet 5 E. CASTELLI EXPLOSION-PROOF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE Dec. 14, 1954 Filed Jan. 12, 1953 United States Patent EXPLOSION-PROOF ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE Etienne Castelli, Paris, France, assignor to Socit a Responsabilit Limite dite: Arlux, Casablanca, Morocco Application January 12, 1953, Serial No. 330,700 Claims. (Cl. 339-111) This invention relates to electrical connecting device and more specifically to an explosion-proof plug-in device for connecting a general current supply or network to any electrical apparatus having firedamp-proof features, notably safety lamps, etc. The device according to this invention may be connected and disconnected in a dangersupply wire of the apparatus.

This electrical connecting device comprises two parts,

a female part or plug and a male part.

lug is a socket made of light metallic or plastic at one end by tampered with.

The base may be formed integrally with an internally screwed central boss for engagement by the aforesaid other hand are caused to engage each other.

Other characteristic features and advantages of this ectrical ment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical Figure 2 is a similar but fragmentary section showing the contacts in engagement;

Figure 3 is a vertical section according to the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are horizontal sections according to the lines IVIV of Fig. 1 and V-V of Fig. 3 respectively.

pair of insulating bodies, a first body 12 through which the contact pins 23, 24 secured v 2,697,212 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 to the lamp (or other electrical appliance or tool) may e inserted in a flame-proof manner, and another insulating body 20 which has fitted therein a pair of resilient contacts 9.

Between these insulating bodies is mounted for rotation in its plane about its center an insulating disk 10 the plug to the lamp.

the device consists of a pair of contact pins 23, 24 carried by the base 15; a boss 19 formed integrally with this base is internally threaded to receive the threaded portion of bolt 2. In order to afford engages the end of bolt 2. By using an adequate is screwed into the boss 19 and as the contact pins are driven further into their corresponding passages they engage the movable disk 10, thereby reseparating the insulating other. Under these conpair of holes 30,

sufiicient to repeat this operation 111 the reverse direction The bolt 2 is unscrewed 12 it engages the latter under erted by the spring 5. Then, both pin passages in the What I claim is:

apparatus in a dangerous atmosphere, comprising a male part consisting of an insulating base, contact pins supported by said base, a cylindrical extension: on: saidbase surrounding said contact pins, a central, hollow, internally-threaded' boss on saidbase, and: a. f'ernalepart consisting of an insulating socket adapted to be frictionally engaged into said cylindrical extension of said base, a pair of superimposed insulating bodies w-ithin said socket, central holes in said insulating bodies and side passages in the-front oneof said insulating bodies for said contact pins of said male part of the device, resilient contacts in the rear one of said insulating} bodies, a rotary disk arranged between saidinsulating bodiesand formed with holes adapted to allow said contact pins therethrough, a cap member fixed to the rear end of said socket, a chambered hole in said cap member, an assembling bolt passing without clearance through said holes in said cap member and insulating bodies, and adapted to engage said internally-threaded boss of said male part, arpair of hollow fittings provided Withpacking glands-and adapted to form a T connection with electric wires passing. therethrough and fixed to terminal members of said resilient contacts, a stud-and-hole locking device adapted when the device is inoperative to maintaina solid portion of said disk in register with said contact pins, and; means for frictionally driving saiddisk about its center when said disk-retaining stud is released by the engagement of said disk by said contact pins when said'male and female parts are being assembled.

2. Explosion-proof plug-in device for an electrical apparatus in a'dangerous atmosphere comprising; a male partconsisting of an insulating base, contact pins supported by-the said base, a cylindrical extension forming part of the said base and surrounding the said contact pins, a central boss fixed to the base on the inside and a female part comprising an insulating socket adapted to be frictionally engaged into the said cylindrical extension of the male'part, twoinsulating bodies rigidly fixed one below the other in the said socket and pierced by axial passages, the first insulating body being pierced moreover by channels in which the contact pins of the male part may be engaged, resilient contacts mounted in the other insulating body in line with said channels, a cap-member closing the socket and pierced by an axial passage, a' rotating bolt imprisoned in the axial passage of the cap-member, passing through theaxial passages of the two insulating bodies and terminating-in anextremity adapted to be screwed into the boss of the malepart, a disk mounted to be frictionally rotated around the bolt between the two'insulating bodies and'pierced with passage holesfor the passage of the contact pins of the male part and locking devices for locking: the disk in the position which closes the passages of thefirst insulating body until the disk is engagedby the contact pins;

3. Explosion-proof plug-in device, for" an electrical apparatus in a dangerous atmosphere comprising amale part consisting of an insulating base, contact pins supported by the said base, a cylindrical extension'forming part of the said base, and surrounding the said contact pins,- a central boss fixed to the base-on the inside and a female part comprising an insulatingsocket adapted to be frictionally engaged into the said cylindrical exten sion of the male part, two insulating'bodies rigidly fixed one below the other in the'said'socketand pierced by axial passages the'first' insulating body being pierced, moreover, by channels in which the contact pins of the male part may be engaged, resilient contacts mounted in the other insulating body in line withsaid'channels, two coaxial lateral'fittings to provide for a T connection on both sides of the socket for the lead-in'wires to be connected to the contacts, fluid-tight packing-glands mounted in the coaxial lateral fittings, a cap-member closing the socket and pierced by an axial passage, a rotating bolt imprisoned in the axial passage of the cap member, passing through the axial passages of the two insulating bodies and terminating in an-extremity adapted'to be screwed into the boss of the male part, a disk mounted to be frictionally rotated around the bolt between'the two insulating bodies and pierced with passage holes for the passage of the contact pins of the male part and locking devices for locking the disk in the position which closes the passages of the first insulating body until the disk is engaged by the contact pins.

4. Explosion-proof plug-in device, for an electrical apparatus in a dangerous atmosphere comprising a male part consisting of an insulating base, contact pins supported by the said base, a cylindrical extension forming part of the said base and surrounding the said contact pins, 2. central boss fixed to the base on the inside and a female part comprising an insulating socket adapted to be frictionally engaged into the said cylindrical extension ofthe male part, two insulating bodies rigidly fixed one below the other in the said socket and pierced by axial passages the first insulating body being pierced, moreover, by channels in which the contact pins of the male part may be engaged, resilient contacts mounted in the other insulating body in line with said channels, a cap-member closingv the socket and pierced by an axial passage, a rotating bolt imprisoned in the axial passage of the cap-member, passing through the axial passages of the two insulating bodies and terminating by an extremity adaptedto be screwed intothe boss of the male part, a disk mounted to' be rotated around the bolt between the two insulating bodies andpierced with passage holes for the passage of the contact pins of the male part, studs mounted in the disk-and adapted to fit into the holes of the first insulating body by locking the disk in such a position asto close the channels, resilient devices fixed around the bolt pushing-the disk against the first insulatingbody and engaging the studs in the holes until the disk is engaged bythe contact pins when the female part is-placed'in position by screwing the bolt into the boss of the male part and a friction device which, when the disk has been unlocked by the pushing of the contact pins'following the rotating movement of the bolt, brings it to a position in which the contact pins pass through the passage holes.

5. Explosion-proof plug-in device, for an electrical apparatus-in a dangerous atmosphere comprising a male part consistingof an insulating. base, contact pins supported'by the said base, a cylindrical extension forming part of the saidbase andsurrounding the said contact pins, a central boss fixed to the base on the inside and a female part comprising an insulating socket adapted to be frictionally engagedinto the said cylindrical extension of the male part, two insulating bodies rigidly fixed one below the other. in the said socket and pierced by axial passages the first insulating body being pierced, moreover, by channels in which the contact pins of the malepart may be engaged, resilient-contacts mounted in the other insulating body in line with saidchannels, a cap-member closing the socket and piercedby an axial passage,.a rotating bolt imprisoned in the axial passage of the cap-member, passing through the axial passages of the two. insulating bodies and terminating by an extremity adapted to be screwed-into the bossof the male part, studs mountedin the diskand adapted'to fit into the holes of the first insulating. body by locking the disk in such a position as to close' the channels, resilient devices fixed around'the bolt pushing the disk' against the first insulating body and engaging the studs in the holes until thedisk is engaged by the contact pins when the female part is placed in position by.'screwing the bolt into the boss of the male part and a friction device which, when'the disk has been unlocked by the pushing of the contacf pins following the rotating movementof the bolt, brings it to a position in which the passage holes are opposite the contact pins andthe distance pieces fixed in the two insulating bodies thus immobilizing' the disk in'this position during the passage of the contact. pins until the bolt is completely screwed up.

References -Gited in the file'of' this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 723,866 Hart Mar; 31, 1903 1,137,634 Kelting' Apr. 27, 1915 2,532,219 Bierce Nov. 28, 1950 

